The Duo of Badassery
by Ignatuis Argetlam
Summary: Camellia and Dominatuis made a promise as children to take down the World Government that had done them so much harm. Knowing each other for as long as they can remember, they teamed up and set out to do the impossible. Watch as they follow their dream and join pirate society, even running into a few canon's along the way! Rated T because Camellia likes bum's
1. Chapter 1

**_Camellia Kori _**

**_Dominatuis Mason _**

**_Surely you have heard these names before; the winds of change have brought them to every edge of the map. The famous revolutionary pair, brought up together from birth. Often rumored to be lovers, it is said they fight so well together that Kori could drop a dagger at any time and Mason would catch it before it fell on her foot. _**

**_Here, within the very pages you hold, lie the only known records of the two's history. _**

**_This story does not start when Dominatuis killed his first Pacifista, in fact before they had laid a single hand on the World Government, or even when they had a single crew member on their ship, before Kori first bit into the Devil Fruit. This story starts even before they had met, albeit not long before._**

**_Now be privileged to read these lost documents, and god dammit review them. Ignatuis works hard on this_.**

**If any of you want to submit OC's to be in the story, I'd be fine with that. Don't review your idea, just PM me. I will be taking the most creative ones, even if they aren't done well.**

_Ten Years Ago_

"But I don't wanna!" Dominatuis Mason insisted to his father. Small fists were clenched as his seven-year old foot stamped against the floor.

"I'm not asking you to topple the government," His dad answered, but quietly added, "_Because you will never do that in your life_. I'm just saying to make some friends, get out of the house and into town." Not that he hated his only child, sometimes he sure felt like he did, but it bothered him that his son never played with children his age. There was a score of them in town, but all his son did was sit in the backyard with his stupid sticks.

"Why'd you say that?" Mason frowned, snapping from pouting to being angry in a time only children can achieve. Another factor helping the quick change of attitude was the mention of the World Government, enough to make any resident of their small island growl with restrained anger.

"Sorry..." His father mumbled, looking away from Mason. Their small kitchen became very interesting as he forced himself not to recall the World Government.

Mason bit the inside of his cheek, equally angered at the mention. His father's hands rose and stroked his thick jowls, dotted with stubble, absently. His balding widow's crown sat atop his head, his remaining hair speckled was nothing but a speckled gray.

"I'll go now..." Mason muttered, stalking over to the doorway. Willingly giving in was a better choice than a conversation about the World Government any day.

Mason jumped off of his creaking wooden porch, slamming both feet on the ground with childish excitement. He quickly fell to his stomach and reaches underneath the porch. He felt around for as long as he dared in the blackness under the house, but he finally grasped a smooth handle and he pulled out a wooden stick who's length was nearly three quarters of his total height.

"Hiya!" He exclaimed, proudly swishing the stick in the air with one hand. He danced with far from perfect grace, stumbling around incoherently while waving his stick so wantonly **(ten points)** it was amazing he didn't hit anything or anyone

"Enguarde!" He shouted defiantly to mid air. He revolved ninety degrees on one heel, stopping and slamming the stick onto the ground in front of him. The stick jarred his small hands generously; the strange feeling was unfamiliar to Mason.

"OW!" He exclaimed, snatching his hand in his other and tucking it into his gut. He hopped around, alternating feet as he seethed each breath slowly.

His head tucked down, he did not even notice his direction as he hobbled down the path and ran into something.

"I swear, my child..." The old man mumbled with a grin, attempting to get back on his feet. He leaned heavily on his ever present warped, crooked cane, tipped with a metal knob. "You get heavier every day."

"Mishao!" Mason brightened, warping his tiny arms all the way around the frail man. The village's trademark old man pushed the boy off shakily.

"What are you doing down here?" The old man asked slowly. His hand came up and he adjusted his thin, wispy beard, off-center due to the collision.

"I was playing!" Mason announced, speaking with ease set aside specially for his beloved elder. "But... I lost my stick."

"Well then, child." Mishao shakily took Mason's hand, his leathery wrinkled skin strange against Mason soft palms. "It seems we will need to find it, won't we?"

"Yay!" Mason exclaimed, hopping down the path at a pace barely too fast for Mishao. "Thanks Mishao!"

"My child, slow down!" Mishao chuckled, finally stumbling in wake with Mason. "I have something important to tell you."

"My stick!" Mason exclaimed, letting go of Mishao and shooting after the apparently more important item.

"My child!" Mishao's hand stuck out with speed opposite his age, grabbing Mason by the collar and whirling him around to meet him.

"Listen to me; I have taken on an apprentice for the first time in fifty years." Mishao lowered himself slowly, shakily, so he could look better into Mason's eyes. "Dominatuis, would you like a new friend?"

000

"It's a _girl_." Mason breathed at a barely audible decibel level, his eyes widened in wonder. Before him stood a short girl about his age, she stood against the front of Mishao's house. Silky blonde hair was tied in two messy pigtails, and a shirt much too big for her hung past her knees. In one hand she clutched a small stuffed elephant, barely bigger than her hand.

"..." Mason opened his mouth to say something, but his lungs refused to give an exhale of breath. Due to its importance in speaking, Mason stood in awkward silence with his mouth half open.

Mishao mumbled something about the backyard and stumbled around the house, leaving them alone.

The staring contest continued, the girl staring at him with a blank face and a closed mouth, a privilege Mason didn't have. Luckily, his lungs stopped resisting and Mason managed something intellectual.

"Duuuuuuuuh..."

This at least summoned a response from the girl. She tilted her head at him.

The very trees around them shifted uncomfortably. No noise broke the silence as the two young people tortured themselves in patience that was unknown to them.

A soft sigh challenged the anti-social air, and Mason turned around to leave. The hard-packed dirt under his feet scraped slightly as he lifted his foot for a step.

"You have a nice bum." The girl said suddenly. Her voice was almost musical, the high and low points of words coming out like soft wind chimes.

"Y-you wh-what?" Mason took a big step towards proper words from his past attempt at speech.

"Your bum." The girl frowned at him, giving him a 'duh' look. "It's the best I've ever seen."

Mason's hands covered his bottom and he flushed red, whirling on the girl. "What do you mean you like my bum why would you say something like that!?"

"Idiot, did you even listen?" The girl crossed her arms and looked to a point up in the air. "I never said I liked it, why would you like a bum? I just know a fine posterior when I see one."

"You're so weird..." Mason breathed. His cheeks were now hot from the level of his blush.

"I know!" The girl announced happily. She held the edges of an imaginary dress and strolled down the steps.

"What's your name?" Mason asked with casualness that surprised even him.

"Camellia Kori!" She grinned, strolling past Mason. Thinking she was trying to gain a vantage point of his rear, Mason clutched his bottom and shuffled away from her.

"Dominatuis, Dominatuis Mason." He muttered, his eyes scanning her carefully. He watched what her eyes were on always and made sure his back wasn't to her.

"That's a weird name." Kori snorted, turning away and prancing among the grass.

"It's a cool name!" Mason defended dutifully. 'And your's is weirder! Camellia?"

"Mine's a _flower_." She turned her head, looking at him over her shoulder. "Your's makes you sound Roman." Mason shot forward to continue, but he remembered Mishao's continued advice on how to treat girls. To not be rude was on that list, so he gave her the title of argument winner this time.

Mishao watched silently from around the corner of his house, joy swelling in his core as he watched the two converse.

"Do you want to be a princess or something?" Mason tilted his head at her as she pranced around the grassy clearing.

"I wanna be a cool _warrior pirate ninja samurai_ princess!" Kori corrected firmly. "And I will rule the world!"

Mason stiffened. "Like The World Government."

"What's wrong?' Kori looked at him, detecting the anger. "What's wrong with the World Government?"

"You don't know who they are?" Mason asked in disbelief.

"Nope" Kori swung her head back and forth, making her hair sway in front of her face.

"The small island our town is on, it used to be just an island." Mason looked around him at his homeland. "No government, no war, no nothing. The town ran itself and we lived peacefully."

"What happened?" Kori inquired. It looked peaceful enough around here, but Mason talked like that was gone now.

"The World Government sent a battalion of marines here to claim it for their own," Mason made mock air quotes, "Glorious cause. The taxman Fenwick has put nearly every shop out of business and every family on the streets because he squeezes every last drop of money this island has from its rightful owner. We didn't fight back, we couldn't. No one can stand against them."

"Why are you with Mishao?" Mason cut off his own speech, for he had started to grind his teeth and sweat without realizing it.

"Oh, I won't be here for long." Kori smiled. "My parents will be back for me, I'm sure. Mr. Mishao hasn't said anything yet, but I'm sure they will come back. Once those ship guys leave-"

"Now now children! That's enough!" Mishao stumbled into the clearing, his face and tone flustered. "Camellia dear, it would be best if you went inside."

"Yes Mr. Mishao." She looked up at him. "Can I say one more thing to Mason before I go?"

Mishao looked frantically between the two kids, deciding one thing couldn't hurt. He nodded shakily.

"Those World Government guys are bad?" Kori asked.

"Yeah..." Mason looked down and mumbled. "They are real bad. They hurt the town lots."

Mishao looked shocked, he couldn't believe the politics the children had been discussing without him knowing.

"They are mean?" Kori pressed further.

"If someone doesn't pay taxes than they are thrown in prison. The family, even kids" Mason answered.

"Children!" Mishao snapped, but Kori ignored him.

"I'm gonna beat those guys! I promise!" Kori held out a hand.

"No I'm gonna!" Mason burst forward.

"We can do it, _together_." Kori snatched his small hand and took it in hers, shaking it wildly. "It'll be better that way, we won't get lonely and we will always have a friend."

"Camellia, get inside!" Mishao snapped, making her face snap to neutrality. She stalked towards the house without a word.

"Mason, you mustn't mention Camellia's parents." Mishao said, hushed.

"Her name is Kori." Mason corrected.

Mishao promptly ignored the interruption. "Mason, Kori's parents were pirates."

"Pirates?" Mason asked with fascination, hsi eyes brimming with wonder.

"Yes, pirates. They retired and settled down in hiding, but the Government hunted them down and killed them.

"We can't tell her"' Mason frowned in confusion.

"You mustn't!" Mishao snapped. "Never Mason! You must promise me this, that you will never speak to Kori of her parent's without my permission!"

"I swear on my best stick!" Mason placed a hand over his breast, albeit the wrong one, and grinned sincerely.

**Dedicated to The Winter Owl, can't explain my gratitude for all of the help you've given me over the past couple months. Your beautiful spontaneity inspired a good portion of my work, and I wouldn't be where I am today without you. Keep Calm and YOLO, best buddy. *brofist***


	2. Chapter 2

"I don't like it." He growled.

"That does mean I can't do it." A young woman defended stubbornly.

"Why do you have to contradict everything I say?" Her counterpart snapped.

"Are you guys okay in here?" A worried bartender poked his head above the saloon-style doors of his tavern, which they were arguing outside of.

"We're fine!" Both of them put on bright faces for the exact amount of time the bartender was watching.

"Because I can." She shot back once she could.

"Kori-" He began.

"Mason." Kori cut off firmly. "Don't act like you own me."

"I'm older," Mason explained. "It's my responsibility-"

"Pfft." Kori waved away the weak defense. "By a month. You're seventeen just like me."

"What do you need to do in a bar anyway!?" Mason erupted. "Theres nothing but trouble and horny old sailors!"

"Hey!" And offended man who fit the description perfectly sat up from his chair.

"You know it's true!" Mason shot at him, making him sulk back down.

"Do I need a reason?" Kori's eyes flared and she stood at her full height, which was still just short of a foot less than Mason's six feet.

"You're going to get into trouble." Mason insisted. "And you're dressed like..." Mason's eyes flicked down for as long as he dared. "That"

"What's wrong with this?" Kori frowned. She held out her arms and looked at herself, checking for anything abnormal. "I always dress like this."

"You undid another button." Mason observed.

Kori huffed, and did not say anything. Her gray leather vest, specifically modified to cut around the sides her large breasts, added onto the extra undone button on her long, loose, black shirt made her quite the eye candy.

"Go ahead." Mason sighed in defeat. Kori beamed and pranced inside, while Mason trudged inside behind her. Dominatuis wore a white cloth shirt with baggy arms, most of the buttons undone so it made a deep collar.

The doors made a loud noise when they were opened, still swinging, several times behind them from the momentum.

"Shit..." Mason muttered as every eye fell onto Kori.

Kori didn't seem to notice the drooling men. She strutted forward and took her place at a bar stool like it was her day job, which too many bar attendees it practically was.

"Wait up, _sister_!" Mason added the lie intentionally, gaining a confused look from Kori.

"I'm right here, _brother_." She returned the strange act, as if telling Mason what he had said, chancing it was a mistake.

"Can I get you anything, purty lady?" A bulky old bartender asked. His grizzly arms were covered in naval-related and barely-clothed mermaid tattoos and he wore a ragged vest. Mason stared hard as he could practically see the hearts in the eyes of the man. Mason right hand fell to his corresponding lap causally, but he was in fact pressing his palm against the pommel of his cutlass.

"I'll have a drink!" Kori announced happily, and Mason slapped his palm against his forehead beside her.

"Um, lady? The bartender scratched his head in confusion. "Could ya be more specific?"

"Ohh." Kori looked down in embarrassment and tapped her index fingertips together, a blush dancing across her cheekbones like a pink aurora borealis. She had in fact never been to a tavern before, and hadn't the slightest clue what men drank there.

"My _sister_," Mason stressed the word ageing to be safe. "Will have a Poor Man's Tonic." Mason chose for her.

"I'll buy that!" An equally ragged sailor announced from across the bar. "And, uh, whatever your friend'll have too."

Kori turned to Mason, beaming in satisfaction as the bartender went to get the free drinks. Little did she know Mason didn't see it as an achievement for men to buy her drinks.

"What did you order me?" Kori inquired.

"A Poor Man's Tonic. It's mead mixed with water." Mason explained, drawing circles in the dust of the countertop with a finger.

"Hey!" Kori snapped. "Why the water? I can drink!"

"No, you can't" Mason chuckled. "You can't hold _real_ alcohol, and I don't want to carry you home."

"Well then." Kori breathed, focusing her gaze straight ahead, determined not to meet Mason's gaze. Her voice dropped to a very low tone and her vision didn't waver as she asked, "Why the sister act?"

"If the men here think I'm your brother, they will be more reluctant to make a move." Mason explained his plan happily.

"But why would they do that?" Kori asked in true innocence.

"Well... Um..." Mason furrowed his eyebrows, trying to find a way to explain it. "A brother usually gets mad when people hit on his sister, and they like to fight people who do."

"So they're scared to fight you? Why would they be scared of _you_?" Kori snorted in disbelief, not realizing her words before they came out of her mouth. She whirled around to Mason with a flustered look, but he was staring hard at her. His mouth was a firm set line, and his jawbone pulsed with clenched muscles.

He got up and moved four chairs down the bar, acquiring a new seat farther away from Kori.

"No! Brother! I'm sorry!" Kori pleaded. She continued to try and explain herself, but she knew better. She had known Mason all her life, when he was like his nothing got to him. He prided himself on defending her loyally and being strong, but she had rejected the fact that men might actually be intimated by him. Sometimes, when he was at his worst sulking state, she almost wished that he had eaten the Devil Fruit, and not her. Just because she was physically more powerful didn't mean he wasn't capable.

"I didn't mean it..." She muttered, turning to face the drink that had appeared in front of her. She lifted it, sniffed it, and finally took a tentative sip.

Imagine sweet, spicy, and tangy mixed into one. Now mix that with dog crap. Now dowse that with stinkbug juice. Now fart on it. That's what a Poor Man's Tonic tastes like.

Kori did a spitake in front of her, barely avoiding dowsing the bartender in the horrendous drink. "YOU GUY'S DRINK THIS!?" She yelled in disbelief.

"You get used to it." The bartender attempted a sympathetic smile, but it came out looking like it belonged in a meme making fun of pedophiles.

"Hey there." The man that had bought her drink noticed her brother's absence and slipped in beside her.

"Hey." Kori smiled cheerily at the man.

"Your brother shouldn't have ordered you that. A lady like you needs something sweeter to drink." He grinned, revealing more gold or missing teeth than actual ones.

"Oh, stop it." Kori had yet to master the art of taking flattery, and waved it away awkwardly while blushing profusely. What was Mason's problem? The men here were nice! She didn't mean to insult him like she had, but he needed to cool off!

She looked across the bar and spotted him. He had his aviator sunglasses pushed up on his face down, and his head was bent forward over his drink.

"He's dropped to sunglasses mode..." Kori mumbled before turning back to the, unbeknownst to her, potential suitor.

"That's a purty vest you got there." The man grinned at her.

"Thank you!" she moved her arms to the side and looked down at it, giving the sailor a perfectly safe and full view of her large, round breasts for many seconds. "It was specially made for me from a tailor in Marbilion City." Kori continued, looking up. The sailor abruptly returned his gaze to a polite place on her body and smiled.

"Maybe I should order you something that tastes better." The man grinned.

The tips of Kori's bright red lips curled down ever so slightly, twitching. This man... something was off. His mental waves weren't matching his social personality. Maybe if she dug a little deeper into-

"Cheers!" the man held up two small shooter glasses. Kori blinked out of her thoughts and snatched one automatically.

_It's so small_. She pondered, staring at the glass. _I must have spat out twice this! It won't make a difference to my intoxication._

"Cheers!" She smiled, contacting his glass lightly before downing her own. The man stealthily pretended to drink his before shoving it into her hand, pretending it was a fresh drink.

Fuzzy. Fog was slowly gathering around Kori's mind, like her breath came in wisps that stuck around and hazed her mind. Every sense seemed to come through a wool sheet, muffled and nearly intangible. She could almost feel the pressure from it around her skull.

A cold, smooth feeling was shoved into her hand. A thick hand, which she originally suspected was a set of five bratwursts, wrapped around hers. It carefully guided the feeling to her mouth, where it poured down her throat. The feeling doubled.

"Well..." Kori blinked profusely, a goofy smile spreading on her face. "Hey there big boy!"

The man grinned inwardly. Hook, line, and sinker. Nobody had pulled in a catch like this from this tavern in ages.

"YAY!" She yelled suddenly, throwing her arms up and shimmy-ing her shoulders back and forth masterfully. Consequently, her large breasts bounced around uncontrollably.

A sick, actual grin spread onto the face of the sailor. Just his luck, a city girl thinks he's an innocent sailor and not marauding pirate, now she's drunk and helpless.

000

Mason grumbled again, downing his emotions in a drink of the mead. The honey-based alcohol soothed his throat as it did his emotions.

"I wish Dad could see me know." Mason mumbled sarcastically. "Drinking down feelings at seventeen."

True, he was downing his emotions with a drink; but the incident was actually quite isolated. He rarely drank, he was just in an exceptionally moping attitude right now.

He gazed over at Kori, who was happily downing shots with a sailor.

"Go ahead..." Mason grumbled. "Have fun, it was always about you anyway. Always Kori, the perfect child!"

Mason voice hit an uncomfortable high, and he did a rough imitation of his mother. "Why can't you be more like your friend Kori?" He sneered. "Kori is so polite and disciplined. Did you hear she's training under Mishao?"

"Mason," Mason's voice dropped and he shook imaginary large jowls. "All you do is sit outside hitting that damn stick against the oak tree. Why don't you do something useful, like Kori?"

"It's called a waister," Mason slammed his empty mug down, snarling: "_Dad_."

"What the fuck am I doing!?" Mason demanded, slamming his clenched fist against the table top. "I should just let Kori be. She could find someone way better. Fight the Navy better. Keep up to her better. Actually do something useful... better."

Movement caught his attention, and his eyes flashed with cat-like grace. The sailor had his hands on Kori's shoulders and was chuckling uncontrollably. Kori made strange hand gestures and blabbered on about something to do with peanuts.

Mason squinted; something was pressed to the sailors neck under his clothes. It was black, and disfigured. A wayward piece of clothing? A birthmark? The sailor leaned his neck left, as if showing him, and the infamous tattoo of the Icarian Pirates was shown fully.

Alcohol and depression were thrust aside instantly as Kori's safety was endangered. How dare he even lay a hand on Kori! Mason followed the man's glare to the two orbs that seemed gravitated his attention.

"TAKE YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF HER!" Mason yelled, shooting up from his chair. The pirate stopped, his hands halfway to the said orbs.

"You got a problem kid?" The pirate growled, his hands unmoving.

"I SAID," Mason thumped over to him loudly, knocking aside his hand so his cutlass was visible. "Take your hands off her."

"Who do you think you are?!" The pirate spat. "I'm a-"

Mason's fist hit the large pirate squarely in the forehead, right between his eyes. The punch was hasty and unplanned but it still hit hard enough to make a noise that everyone heard and silenced to. The head was still the size of a small barrel and barely moved.

The said noggin slowly lolled forward, recovering from the small recoil.

"You're gonna pay for that." The pirate promised. "After I'm done with you, I can have my way with your sister."

"You know, know, my friend sparkles wouldn't mind that." Kori mumbled incoherently.

Mason's hands shot out and snatched a fork, burying it into one of the pirate's groping hands. The thick man's eyes widened with surprise, but Mason wasted no time in turning his body away from the man, then spinning the other way and sending his foot towards him.

A fist the size of a bread loaf slammed into Mason's right shoulder and sent him flying at an impossible speed. He skidded along the top of a long table, ridding it of decoration with various limbs. His momentum stopped abruptly into three unoccupied chairs, leaving Mason in a small pile of broken wood.

"That was my sword hand you bastard." The pirate growled, inspecting where the fork teeth had pierced his hand.

Mason held in moans of pain, parts of him that he didn't remember having flared with complaint. Bones and muscles throbbed with movement, and it seemed idiotic to try and stand.

Then again, if you knew Dominatuis you might categorize him as an idiot.

"...Caught me off guard..." Mason mumbled, swaying as he attempted to stay upright. He coughed, making his insides jar, but rolled his neck and stood defiantly.

"You want round two, ya bastard?" The pirate rose threateningly. Kori blinked profusely, the alcohol beginning to wear off on her. She regained her surroundings and started to understand what was happening.

"Bastard isn't creative at all," Mason scolded, making a disapproving _tsk_ noise. "I have a name you murderer, and its Dominatuis."

"Fine name ya got there, named after the first governor?" The Icarian pirate asked, indicating Dominatuis Marshall, the first governor under the then-new World Government. His thick hands moved to his waist, where two ragged-looking scabbards hung.

"Not even close." Mason snapped. "Dominatuis Nantock, one of the first revolutionists."

"It's been a fine time talking, but I prefer the blade." The pirate grinned, pulling out two cutlasses. They were rusty, bent, chipped and even broken at the tips, but Mason didn't doubt their remaining deadliness. He unclipped his silky cloack and let it fall to the floor in a pile.

"Make that two." Mason pulled out his own cutlass, which was much finer. He took pride in his chosen weapon, polishing it obsessively every night and re-applying the grip once a week. Its blade had not a single blemish, shining silver I the dim light. The sharp edge was perfectly curves, not a single ship decorating it. The brass hand guard shone just as bright, reflecting the scene with a slight distrotion. In his free left hand, Mason brandished, almost comically, the fork he had used to stab the pirate.

"Stop!" The bartender boomed, leaning over the counter. "There will be no fighting in or outside my bar!"

The pirate looked between Mason and the bartender, weighing his options. Even for pirates, the word of the one who bought him frequent drinks was law. On the other hand, the brat was mouthing him off, and if he won he could take his buxom sister home with him.

"What's it gonna be?" Mason inquired, as if suspecting his mental indecision.

"Shut up," The pirate growled, trying to buy a few more seconds.

"Time's up." Mason grinned. He raised both of his hands and dropped his weapons, both of them clattering to the floor.

"Huh?" Was the single noise the pirate uttered before he was blasted out of the building by an unseen force, thrice the power of the punch landed on Mason. Thankfully for the walls, it shot him straight through the front doors which flapped uncontrollably after the force.

"Good timing." Mason bent for his weapons. "You got over that quick."

"Still hurts my brain," Kori grinned. "Hurling a guy that fat after that much booze."

"How-you-that-DEMON!" The bartender stuttered.

"It's a Devil Fruit, not a demon fruit." Mason corrected. "So don't accuse my friend of something she isn't."

"The Ki Ki no Mi fruit." Kori added.

"Get out!" The bartender blurted, pointing to the still-flapping exit. "Out of my bar! Right now!"

"Lucky for us, we don't have to pay for our drinks." Kori winked at Mason.

"I'd rather pay for my drinks then go through that." Mason mumbled in response.

"I'm sorry for... before." Kori looked down shamefully. She heard Mason shift with movement, and then silence.

She looked up to see him trudging out of the bar, his retrieved cloak strung over his shoulder. He turned his head slightly to the side and pushed his aviators up his nose.

"Idiot..." Kori mumbled with a small grin, jogging after him.


	3. Chapter 3

A thirteen year old Mason was sprawled out over Kori and Mishao's couch cushions, reading a novel and listening to Mishao tinker and swear in the kitchen over a new weapon he was hoping to develop

"Hey, what is exactly wrong with Kori again?" Mason asked out of concern for his friend.

"She'll be fine soon, Mason, you shouldn't worry yourself so much over this…" Mishao exhaled.

"Yeah but when will she be okay?" Mason tried again.

Mishao looked up from his work and turned to Mason.

"She's very tired and has a headache. She'll be fine again soon." He finished.

Mason relaxed and went back to his novel. Mishao shuffled out of the room into the yard with his arms full of scribbled notes and sketched on papers. A few moments later Mason was distracted by a strange stomping from upstairs. He sat up to see Kori stumbling down them with her hair tied up on top of her head and nothing but one of Mishao's oversized white button-down shirt covering her chest and thighs.  
"Hey Kori…" Mason spoke cautiously.

"What?!" she snapped back at him almost knocking herself over with the force due to her weakened state.

"Are you alright?" he said standing up slowly, letting the book fall onto the couch.

"No. In fact I am not, my belly feels like it has mountains developing inside of it, my back hurts, I have a headache, all I can think about is the cute boy from the marketplace and I can't find the chocolate!" her voice ranged from a fearsome growl to the whine of an irritated child.

"Umm, let me help you look for the chocolate." Mason crept over to her trying not to upset her surroundings too much, considering he was still unsure of her issue.  
Kori took a breath and started scowering the kitchen, with Mason merely resetting all the items she was moving around the room behind her. Then Kori stopped abruptly with Mason to her back and stood up straight.

"Kori?"

Kori immediately burst into tears with nothing but a confused and slightly horrified Mason watching her.

"Kori what's… wrong?" Mason said hesitantly.

"It's MISHAO!" she sobbed.

"Mishao?" Mason nearly fell over. Kori and Mishao had a perfect, almost hallmark relationship. How could he be the problem?

"He's hiding all the chocolate on me!" she nearly shrieked.

"Now why would he do that?" Mason asked starting to think he was the victim of a senseless prank.

"Because…" Kori said but her voice faltered and she fell into more sobs.

"Because why?" Mason put a hand on her shoulder.

Kori slowly turned to face him, showing him smeared mascara on the bottom half of her face.

"BECAUSE I'M GETTING FAT!" she yelled and nearly collapsed on the floor if Mason hadn't have caught her with his right arm.

Mason sat dumbfounded and genuinely scared of the words his adolescent, tom-boy friend had spoken. Fat?! She thinks she's fat.

"Uhh… You're not fat, Kori." Mason said barley making the words out.

"No, but I'm getting there…" she said sniffing.

"Kori, no you're not." He said trying his very best to remain cool and reassuring.

She turned to face him "Are you kidding me?! Look at that! Look at it!" she started poking her thigh "Don't tell me that's not fat!" Her sobbing stopped and became pure, simple anger.

"Kori listen to me…" Mason was nearly in tears himself.

"And this! What about this?!" she stood up and grabbed her chest "What is this even?!" she moved her hands up and down.

Mason turned his head, closing his eyes in fear of his life.

"I just spent the last hour and a half looking at myself naked trying to figure out what the hell is happening to me and my body!" she yelled.

Mason curled into fetal position and squeezed his eyes shut.

"And it's all Mishao's fault!" she spoke with the voice of a fearsome warrior Goddess about to slaughter an army or worthless, ungrateful men.

Kori stomped through the kitchen door, into the backyard forgetting her scarce attire, and her hair was fallen from the top of her head into a messy web of tangled locks around her shoulders.

"Mishao!" Mason heard her screech the name as if it was a bit of swallowed poison jumping from her throat.

Once he was sure she was away from him, he opened his eyes. He looked to see a brownish-red mess on the floor where Kori had fallen. Oh my God! She's hurt! He thought and got up to run and find her.

"Kori!" he called her name. He got no reasonable response only the sight of Kori throwing pieces of scrap metal at Mishao, with a large, red stain covering the lower half of her shirt over her butt.

"HOLY SHIT YOU'RE COVERED IN BLOOD!' Mason yelled.

"What?!" Kori turned to face him, and then tilted her head to see the blood stain on her outfit. "Oh my God! Mishao! What the Fuck?!" Fear overtaking her.  
Mishao's face turned a colour so pale it is indescribable.

"Its your… You got your, um, the… I already told you Camellia!" He said panicking for the first time in his long mysterious life.

"You mean that?! Like the thing?!" she said once again in tears.

"Are you guys fucking crazy?!" Mason yelled seriously terrified for his friend's health. "She must've got stabbed or something!"

"What do I do?!" Kori said ignoring Mason.

"Umm here!" Mishao threw a dirty rag for tools and metals at her "Use this!"

"And do exactly what?!"

"Oh my sweet Lord! It's running down her leg! It is running down her leg! Kori we got to take you somewhere, you're losing a lot of blood. You look pale." He touched her face "Let me help you." He bent to pick her up, touching her leg.

"Stop it! Stop touching me!" she swatted him away with the towel "I'm not fucking dying you twat!"

"Kori shh… your blood loss is causing you to act dumb and delusional." Mason spoke soothingly like his mother did when he was hurt.

"What did you just say to me?!" Kori moved her head in a way that can only mean the spiritual attitude of the badass, black woman LaQueasha Shericye had entered her mind.

Mishao ran over separating the two young people before the amount of blood loss became an actual issue.

"Mason stop." His commanding voice stopped Mason dead in his actions. "Go sit in the front I'll be there to talk to you in a moment."

"But Mish-"

"Go."

Mason stalked off to the other side of the house.

"Now Camellia, my brave young gi- woman. Go into the house clean yourself up the best you can and go to marketplace ask one of the young women to help you with your issue."

Kori nodded and went into the house.

Mishao sighed and rubbed his head and walked behind the house preparing himself for the life-changing information he about to give Mason.

000

Mason stumbled into his home to his mother's cooking, with a permanent chill on his spine.

"Mason? Is that you? Where were you all day? I thought I told you to deliver the soup for Kori and then come back?" his mother was calling to him from the other room.  
She walked to him wiping her hands on her apron.

"My God! Is that blood?!" She'd spotted it on Masons sleeve. "What happened?!"

"I do not… want to talk about it." Mason looked at his mom and climbed the stairs to his room.


	4. Chapter 4

Mason fumbled with his tie, the elusive Double-Windsor knot never being sufficient for his perfectionist critiquing mind. He reminded himself he had better hurry, for he didn't even have pants on yet.

He was in his cluttered room, desperately trying to prepare for his first date in what seemed like ages.

"Yo dog." Camellia said mockingly.

"Kori!" Mason snapped, desperately trying to cover his checkered boxers. "My parents let you in!? I told them I was getting ready!"

"Three-tumbler lock, child's play." Kori entered the room more, leaning against the doorframe and studying her newly painted fingernails.

"KORI I'M IN MY UNDERWEAR!" Mason backed away, learning forward with his hands covering the specific areas.

"I know, by the way there's a hole in the back." Kori raised her eyes form her sparkling red fingernail polish. "Nice arse."

"Kori, I swear..." Mason muttered, blush flooding his cheeks.

"You won't be so mad when I tell you the juicy news I heard about." Kori smirked and welcomed herself into his room. She wore her usual vest and cloth shirt combo, with tight black pants and a high ponytail for her hair. She whirled on him suddenly, smirking. "There's a swordsman in town."

"Who?" Mason countered automatically. He figured he had read enough about the subject to be able to recognize any current swordsman that was of any prestige.

"Koronora Zogo?" Kori frowned, tapping her nails against her palm in mild thought. "I think that was-"

"RORONOA ZORO!" Mason's eyes popped out so far that Kori feared they would hit her, his jaw slammed against the floor and his neck shot out, all in surprise.

"Yeah!" Kori snapped her fingers sharply. "That was it!"

_Thunk._

"Ahhhhhhhhh." Mason moaned idly, a huge smile spread on his face. He had fainted and was rolling round the room slowly.

"Who's he?' Kori asked with innocence.

Mason stopped rolling instantly, the entire room stood perfectly still.

Mason's eye twitched three times, like a tick on a clock.

"HE'S ONLY THE SWORDSMAN THAT SINGLE-HANDEDLY INVENTED SANTORYU." Mason bellowed, shooting up.

"So I'm guessing you're gonna want to fight him?" Kori said, but didn't even pay attention for the answer. She had full faith in Mason's need to fight every swordsman he saw.

She turned to Mason's closet which over-flowed with clothes. He would need pants if he wanted to fight Zoro, and he still had that date she would need to help him dress for.

"Dominatuis!" A feminine voice called out suddenly, and his mother poked her head in through his door. "I thought I heard-oh! Kori!"

"Hello Mrs. Mason!" Kori waved politely.

"It's great to see you Camellia." Mason's mother beamed. She enjoyed the presence of the girl, and was delighted her son had made friends with such a brilliant young girl. If only she could rub off some talent on that lazy son of hers...

Her eyes flicked down to Mason's shorts, and a grin spread on her face. She knew it! They were dating after all!

"I'll leave you to be." His mother winked at Kori and waited for both of them to catch her meaning.

"..." Mason's face contorted in what would be a scream, but Kori had him in a choke-hold and placed her hand over his mouth.

"You had better leave Mrs. Mason," Kori grinned devilishly, barley holding in a laugh. "You interrupted an act that was definitely not PG-13."

"Alright Camellia, dear..." Trisha Mason said with some awkwardness.

"My loins burn in desire for your son." Kori assured.

"I get the point, dearie-" Trisha attempted to leave.

"But Miss, wouldn't you like to hear more of my animalistic lust for your only child?" Kori asked, raising an eyebrow in mock confusion.

"N-no." She stuttered.

"We mustn't expose you to the passion that's about to consume us." Kori promised. "Please, avert your eyes."

Trisha didn't answer, simply rushing out of the room at top speed. Kori dropped Mason finally, leaving him gasping on the floor.

"I swear to god..." Mason gasped while Kori laughed hysterically at her ruse. "You're probably the worst friend ever..."

000

"Roronoa Zoro." Mason breathed, leaning against the side of the building in awe. The green-haired swordsman walked behind a boy his age with black hair and a straw hat. "Who's' that little dude?" Mason inquired.

"You listen too little." Kori approached beside him, slapping his back lightly. "Mr. Zoro has joined Monkey D. Fluffy, an aspiring pirate."

"Do you think he'll use Santoryu!?" Mason asked gleefully.

"Probably." Kori shrugged, not sharing his amazement.

"YAY!" Mason exclaimed gleefully.

"Why do you want to-" Kori looked to see the area Mason previously occupied empty. "Shit!" she cursed, looking around for him. "I swear, it's like looking after a toddler!

000

Kori whirled around the corner to see Zoro pointing two swords at Mason in the middle of the market.

"I swear, Mr. Zoro Sir!" She hopped in front of Mason and flayed her arms wide. "Whatever he said or did, he didn't mean it! He...uh... got dropped on his head as a child!" Kori desperately came up with an excuse for Mason's probable actions. "He's not that bright!"

"I was never dropped." Mason snaked his head past the interfering figure. "I think..."

"_Shut up,_" Kori growled the words through her teeth, sending it over her shoulder to Mason. _"I'm trying to save your arse_."

"Sorry Zoro," Mason walked past Kori simply. 'She doesn't know swordsmanship."

"And apparently she has no experience with proper etiquette." Zoro spat, glaring at her. Kori sulked out of the way. Zoro reached for a third sword and prepared to wield it.

"Santoryu!" Mason exclaimed giddily. "Amazing!"

"Are you my biggest fan," Zoro placed a white-handled katana between his teeth and gripped it tightly, "Or my opponent?"

"Roronoa Zoro, it would be an honor." Mason's face darkened to an ultimate poker face. He showed no emotion, he looked like he was sleeping with his eyes open. He reached for his two scabbards, hanging on opposite sides of his waist, and equipped them with eerie silence.

"Nitoryu?" Zoro muffled the question, his lips trying to form the word with the large obstruction.

"You will see." Mason bent his head down, both of his cutlasses protruding forward. He bent forward in a long, exaggerated bow. To Zoro, its purpose, mockery or respect, was lost in the mindset of combat.

"You will soon learn that I never lose, Dominatuis." Zoro spat harshly.

"In that case, I would accept defeat with gratitude." Mason responded.

The very air stiffened with intensity. The gulls sensed the approaching battle.

Mason moved first. He slowly raised his arms to shoulder height while twirling both cutlasses with only his fingers. He kept one pointed forward while slowly revolving the other in a circle, like an exaggerated windmill.

With this, Zoro charged unceremoniously. The sword's held in his hands stuck straight up alongside his body, while the third shot out sideways.

Not wanting to hurt his new sparring partner too badly, Zoro spun and performed a basic, two-sword slash.

In a single, graceful motion, Mason finished the windmill and spun his wrist, aiming his swords towards eachother in a line. The tips were a hair's breadth away as Zoro's swing connected into the lower sword.

Several people around Mason cheered, which brightened his mindset. They were proud to have a home-town boy facing a powerful swordsman, and so far holding his own.

"That move was Kumdo." Zoro almost accused. He pressed harder, creating a sword lock, as he pressed for an answer.

"Haedong Kumdo." Mason answered quickly. He knew that he could never stand against Zoro's strength with a single arm and leapt backwards, landing on stone floor of the market silently.

"That's ancient!" Zoro pointed out, quickly recovering as Mason swept his arms in long, slashing motions. They seemed painfully slow, but the way they were planned and executed made them faster than they appeared.

"I know not its history," Mason lowered into a crouch, spinning on his heels. "Only it's use!"

The attacks continued, beginning with the leg slashes. Mason refused to give ground, knowing faltering even once meant defeat against Roronoa Zoro. His arms made curvaceous art in the air, swinging his arms around him with his elbows locked. When he ended an arc he would curve its course and use the momentum to strike again.

To his worry, Zoro remained on guard. He deflected the attacks perfectly, his arms staying stiff and unmoving. From under his bandana, Zoro's eyes darted. He had never seen this form before, only read about it. All he knew is that it was used by monks in a secluded corner of East Blue. He had no idea where this initiate learned such a scarce technique, but he leapt on the chance to study it.

And so he stayed on guard, carefully mapping each movement Mason made. The brunette didn't know he was being played, and Zoro enjoyed the moment in cruel humor.

Zoro noticed a falter, and then Mason repeated an old attack. A true smile spread on Zoro's face, Mason had run out of attacks and outlasted his usefulness.

"You have alot to learn, kid." Zoro mumbled. Mason's face lit up as the swordsman finally spoke, but joy did not help him as Zoro struck.

Two swords shot forward, moving for under Mason's outstretched arms. The onlookers barely saw the movement between, only Zoro still and when the action was accomplished.

Realizing Zoro intended to disarm him, Mason's mind raced with choices as the swords sliced upwards toward his own swords. Sadly, his offense was pointless. Mason switched to a desperate defensive against the infamous pirate slayer.

He twitched his wrists and his cutlasses snapped sideways, the flat length facing Zoro's blades. He placed the flat metal against the katana edges and corkscrewed downward.

He moved his arms around him to continue the defense, going into awkward angles to defend his back and sides. Defense was dropped as quickly as offense and Mason placed his hands on the floor, throwing him sideways under Zoro's swinging sword. It sliced empty air with its counterpart and Mason rose to his feet.

Mason had a single choice left. He had only mastered the first level of Haedong Kumdo, in which all of the attacks were slow and exaggerated. In the second level, more advanced attacks were learned and the technique was sharpened to faster attacks. It went up to eleven levels, but that's beside the point.

"Haedong Kumdo," Mason lifted both of his swords to his face, and crossed their blades over each other. "Second Level."

A light golden shimmer surrounded Mason momentarily, brightening around the swords. He felt the ancient power of the barely learned technique rush through his veins. It opened his mind to a whole new set of attacks, and his movements would be faster and more accurate.

That is, if he could control it.

"ZORO!" Mason cried, rushing forward at his opponent. Zoro raised his swords with a grim smile. He had automatically decided the proper Santoryu dense against the Haedong Kumdo attacks, there was no way Mason could win now.

Mason slashed overhead with his right cutlass and Zoro tilted his body, catching it in the crook of his left sword and the one held in his mouth.

"HYAH!" Mason stabbed quickly at Zoro's side with his free cutlass. Zoro's eyes widened at the speed of the decision, but easily parried the attacks away.

Mason stabbed again just as quickly, if not more, and Zoro repeated the action. They continued until the left half of the duel was little more than a silver blur, Zoro's katana working overtime to match Mason's furious strikes.

Zoro ended it abruptly by booting Mason in the chest, sending him sprawling. The beginner quickly got back onto his feet and got into a proper pose.

Mason again used the strategy of holding Zoro's block upwards, but this time performed s a single horizontal strike before whirling and swinging from the other side with both swords. Zoro tilted his chin and adjusted his wrists to block it fully.

Zoro began to see more strategy in Mason's attacks. He would jab at Zoro, and then swing at him from the side he blocked on before moving to kick him.

Mason squatted and whirled, Making Zoro jump as he traced along the ground with the first cutlass. Before it finished it's revolution, Zoro landed and jabbed at Mason's open torso, which he was forced to defend with his other sword.

To Zoro's continued surprise, Mason tucked his cutlass _under_ his katana and shot in for Zoro's torso, ready to swing a cutlass into it.

Sadly, he forgot about aerial attack.

Zoro's elbow slammed down into the back of Mason's skull and instantly dropped him onto the ground. His swords flew out of his hands and his body hit firmly.

"I would call that a victory." Zoro said smugly, sheathing all three of his swords. To Kori's watching surprise, Zoro reached out and helped Mason to his feet.

"Good try," Zoro admitted, pressing a finger into Mason's chest. "You've got heart, you need to train harder."

"You don't need to worry about that." Mason grinned broadly.

"Keep learning that form, and when your strong enough," Zoro grinned, jabbing his thumb at his face. "Find me and challenge me. I want to see more of that form."

"Don't worry Zoro!" Mason waved at the retreating form. "I promise, I will challenge you when I'm strong enough."

A purse hit the back of his (sore) skull and he hit the ground twice as hard as Zoro could ever make him.

"YOU STOOD ME UP YOU BASTARD!" An attractive brunette kicked Mason's lying form with quite sharp high heels. "I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID YES!"

Several townspeople face palmed as the mighty swordsman got kicked by a girl in her late teens.

"But I was with Zoro!" Mason defended between kicks.

"Who's Zoro?!" Kori called out loudly with a grin. "Your new _girlfriend_?!"

"YOU HEARTLESS BASTARD!" the girl somehow acquired a large mallet and was flattening Mason into the stone floor with it.

"KORI! *slam* I HATE*slam* YOU *slam* YOU BUGGER!" Mason yelled between beatings.


End file.
